Wednesday, February 24, 2010

Wednesday Walter Abercrombie's

Walter Abercrombie was another '80s running back pick in the first-round by the Steelers. This one ended up a little bit better than yesterday's. In six season with the 'Lers, Abercrombie accumulated 3343 yards on 842 carries (4.0 Y/A). His best season was in 1986, when he rushed 877 yards, unfortunately, just more than two years later, he was out of football due to knee injuries (SI cover curse?).

But unlike Tim Worley, Walt seems like a pretty stand up guy. He was a legend at Baylor University where he holds the school record for career rushing yards, and he actually still holds the NCAA record for rushing yards in his first contest (207 yards against #12 Texas A&M). Abercrombie went back to Baylor after his career to receive his Masters degree, and is now director of education and special projects for the American Football Coaches Association. Eat it Tim Worley.

So, as I expected, Canada beat Germany (there's a sentence I thought I would never utter in any form), and now plays Russia tonight in what has to be the IOC's nightmare (7:30). Oh yeah, and the US plays the Swiss at 3:00. The PensBlog has their take while if you're really jones'n Puck Daddy does their due diligence.

Pitt plays Notre Dame tonight (ESPN2/7), and the one athlete I cannot stand more than about anyone else in the NCAA will not be there. Luke Harangody will not play tonight, which should make the game a whole lot easier, but really it's never easy to play in that building with all of those pent-up celibate Catholic kids causing a ruckus. Hail to Pitt.

And if somehow you have two DVR's in your house, the US takes on El Salvador tonight (ESPN Classic/7). Here's a look at what this means to the US. I'm still flabbergasted that the US can't get it's matches shown on an HD channel in the run up to the World Cup. Yeah, no one is probably going to watch this game, but come on...

A link to links. Pat at WHYGAVS has a roundup of the latest news which includes the good kind about Joel Hanrahan's elbow. I just wish the Pirates ownership/FO would stop making such outlandish statements like Coonelly calling '10 the beginning of a "dynasty." Just stop. Even though I think the organization is heading in the right direction, you just can't say that. There is some talent that can sustain some sort of continual competition (McCutchen, Alvarez, LaRoche), but let's work on a winning season before we crown this team of anything. Oh yeah, go vote for WHYGAVS at the final four of the Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tourney.

UPDATE: Deadspin has a great season preview on the Astros and why we should enjoy them while we can. The article even mentions the Pirates toward the end as someone who gets it, although it's after the Reds. I have a huge bone to pick with the whole "the Reds are a sleeper" thing that is sweeping baseball.

They have two absolute studs that you can build around in Joey Votto and Jay Bruce, who were both drafted by previous management, and I have no problem with the Reds taking a shot at a wild-card berth this year. But their rotation is a mess (Cueto is good, but Volquez is probably gonna be out the entire year because of TJ surgery), they spent way too much money on a closer (paying Chad Cordero 4/$46 is pronk-surd), and guys like Scott Rolen and Brendan Phillips are past their prime. Plus Dusty Baker is a terrible field manager.

If Bruce and Votto each have 5 WAR seasons, they avoid injuries, and Aaron Harang/Bronson Arroyo pitch like it's 2005, then maybe they can challenge for a wild card spot, but I can't see them being any better than the Brewers, Cubs, or (definitely) Cards. The Reds have a better MLB roster than the Buccos do right now, but I would take the direction the Pirates are headed in because they're built for the long haul, while it looks like GM Walt Jocketty is trying to blow his wad for the next few seasons, which could work out, but could also blow up in their face and leave them in a huge hole for the next decade.

Um, why? When has bringing in an aging RB ever really helped? If it's on the cheap, and I'm talking really cheap, then yeah, go for it, but Tomlinson just doesn't have it anymore, plus I'm pretty sure the guy is a few bulbs short of a tanning bed.